Filling the Void
by IamGingerButtons
Summary: edward has left leaving bella broken. She has Jacob the only person in the world who makes her feel normal again. what if she let them have a try? Can he fill the whole that edward left? Should she try? Will it all be worth it in the end?
1. Prologue:The puzzle & the missing piece

**Prologue: The puzzle and the missing piece. **

**What was she doing? How could she wind up in this mess. It had been months since **_**he **_**left. She was still broken inside. But there was something about the man next to her that mad her feel almost normal. But how could she let herself rush into this. She reached to the ground to grab her clothes that were strewn about the tiny bedroom. She was in trouble, deep. **

*******

**Jake stretched as he woke up. The bed next to him rumpled but empty. **

**Hell, maybe he had dreamed it all up. Bella warm and willing in his arms. But then again, he didn't usually sleep naked in the middle of the day. He pulled on his cutoff sweats and smiled to himself. **

**He hadn't meant for it to go so far so fast, but who was he to complain. He smirked at the thought. But then again where the hell had she gone? **

**Jake went down the stairs to get to the phone looking out the window as he past. Yep, the rusty red truck was gone. He picked up and dialed. Well, might as well get the awkward part over.**

*******

**Bella answered on the third ring and carried the phone into the kitchen and away from Charlie in the living room. "Jake?"**

"**Yeah, Bells, what did you leave for?"**

"**I don't know, I just… I guess I just freaked out."**

"**You okay?"**

_**Leave it to Jake to be concerned about me when I am feeling bad for what I did to him.**_** She thought. "Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, do you mind maybe coming up here so we can talk."**

"**sure, sure," he said. **

*******

**As she waited on Jake she paced. Of course he was attractive. Over the last year he had really grown up actually. He was muscular and there was something wild about him now. Something Bella found herself very attracted to. She had always loved Jake, and well, since **_**he**_** left Jake was the light of her life. **

**Why shouldn't she be happy?**

**The roar of Jake bike brought her back to her kitchen and away from her thoughts. She smiled thinking about the time they spent together putting those junk bikes back together again. She definitely deserved to be happy. Jake made her happy.**

"**Hiya, Bells!" he said walking in without knocking. This was another home to him. He was no guest to this household. **

_**What the hell,**_** she thought and threw herself into his arms. She pressed his lips against his. He was so warm as his giant arms surrounded her. She melted, surrendering all that she had left to him. **

"**hi to you too," he said laughing. **

**His laugh was one that would always make her smile. She had this, here and willing to be with her. Why shouldn't she embrace it? She truly was in love with Jake. It may not be the rock your world from just one kiss like it had been with **_**him,**_** but it made her happy and it made her long for the security of Jake would give her. **

**There would always be a whole in her world, but somehow being with him made it a distant shadow instead of a mind numbing reality. **

**She would welcome and embrace this reality. **

"**I love you, Jacob."**


	2. Chapter1:Fairy Tales & Happy endings

Chapter 1: Fairy Tales and Happy endings.

Bella found comfort in the little things in life like waking up to the sun shining and knowing it was a rare clear sunny day. Today was one of those days. She stretched and looked at the clock. It was early still. Saturday. She would be going to see Jake this afternoon.

She smiled at the thought. It had been weeks of smiling for her. She didn't know that Jake could do this for her. Could make her feel so whole again.

Still there were a couple of night where she woke with a cold sweat and screaming for the one she lost, but those nights were very few and very far between. There were nights when he would sneak to her house after Charlie was asleep. He would climb the tree outside of her house and leap from the branch and into her window.

"When did you become so athletic?" she had asked him after the first time.

"If you haven't noticed, I've bulked up quite a bit over the past year." Then he kissed her and took her to bed.

There was something there, she was sure. She couldn't seem to put her finger on what it was. There were days that he was so tired that she just laid in his room with him and watched him sleep. On those days she realized how young he was. Sometimes that bothered her. But she shrugged it off. He wasn't like most boys his age. He seemed older somehow. Again something she could not quite get her mind around.

Well, she had cracked on man's secret so on to another man.

Bad thought. She shivered. _His_ face came to her mind.

She got up and shook her head. "Leave me alone." She threw open the window to let some air into the room. "You left me. You didn't want me anymore. Just let me be happy now."

_Be happy_. The vision said the vanished to nothingness.

She sat on her bed, shaken. Why now? She ran her hands over her face. She brought her knees in to her chest and rested her head on them. A silent tear slid down her cheek but that is all she let out.

***

Jake slung his arm over her in the dark theater. It was the first romance she has been able to bring herself to see since the slimy bloodsucker decided to leave her broken in the woods. She was cuddled in close to his side and was devouring some popcorn with a silly girl grin over the cheesy lines that guys sat through to make their girls sappy and pliable after the show.

Not saying that he was trying to get lucky tonight, but he wouldn't mind. He thought about this while the British male lead screwed up and apologized and then got the girl. Well, he was only human. Kind of.

Finally the credits began to roll and Bella made a move to the isle. He knew the first thing would be for her to visit the restroom on the way out. Jake waited outside in the hall for her to be done.

Bella was on her way to finding out what exactly was going on with Jacob. She was thinking about how as she washed her hands. Then it came to her.

She came out and took his hand in hers.

"let's go home," she stretched up and whispered in his ear.

_Yep, it was going to be a good night for him_, he thought with a smile.

Jake took the driver's seat in the old beat up truck and put it in to gear to head home. Port Angeles was a good drive from Forks. He patted the seat in the middle to signal for her to scoot over towards him.

"Let's play 20 questions," she said.

"Okay, you go first he said." He was just a little hesitant. She'd been more questioning lately of him being tired and about him being able to get into her bedroom. The old Bella would have just accepted it and not given it a second thought. But this Bella had been through this before. She'd had her share of the supernatural and she was more aware of it than most gave her credit for.

"Okay, are you human?"

"Yes." He said and got only a tiny bit more concerned.

"Completely?"

"Yes," Jake said. He was going to be honest but he was still completely human. He just had an extra ability.

"Do you have a secret?"

She was on to him. "Yes, but I can't tell you."

"What if I guess it?"

"Then I would say yes."

"Does it have anything to do with the tribe?"

She may get this quicker than he thought. "Yes."

"Sam Uley?"

"Yes."

She tensed. She was still on the idea he was running a cult of some sort. Jake couldn't fault her that because it was he who had given her that idea. "Bella, he is a good guy. I was wrong. I told you." But she didn't relax.

"Does it have to do with the story you told me? The one on the beach." The same one that made her realize what _he_ had been. She'd spent an entire day looking up that same Quillutte legend. Forcing herself to look past the cold ones and see the other side of it.

She was definitely doing her homework. "Yes."

"Jake." She sighed. He couldn't see her face in the dark but tears were on her cheeks. She hadn't wanted it to be true. Someone extraordinary had left her before. Here she was in the same situation. "Are you a wolf?"

***

She dreamed that night. Tossing in her sleep, sweat drenched her t-shirt. She woke in a jerk and ran her hands up and down her face. _He_ had been there warning her about the wolves. "They will hurt you," he had said.

Then Jacob appeared. "You are the one who left her broken." He was a hero even in her dream. Then _he _had stepped toward Jacob. Looked him in the eyes, he was challenging him.

"Can you control it, pup?"

Jake had jumped up at this and coming down, in mid air, transformed into a russet colored wolf. He snarled. He was speaking to _him_. Even in her dream, she knew it was via thoughts. And _he _smirked.

At this Jacob had attacked. Not knowing what she wanted to happen, she was torn. A part of her hated _him._ Deep down she wanted him to forget the fight to turn to her and say that he was here for her. That he had come back. To ask her that she would leave Jake and come back to him.

Would she?

Her heart knew she would. Jake looked at her almost like he could read that thought and with the saddest eyes in the world relinquished to the fight. The wolf form was lying still and bleeding. As life seeped out he turned from wolf back into boy, from the buff man he had become to the lanky 15 year old that he had been when she moved back.

Her heart had shattered into two pieces. Whole one half gained the piece that filled its hole, the other half shattered into a million shards that could never be put together again. Jake had died taking half of her with him.

She looked at _him_. There was a half smile on his face. "come back to me Bella, my love."

"You killed my heart. A half heart can never work."

Then she had woken up.


	3. Chapter 2:Her knight in Furry Armor

Chapter 3: Her Knight in Furry Armor.

Jake didn't know what to do. She had been very upset about it. He was stalking back and forth in his tiny house. He seemed closed in all of the sudden.

It had been okay that he had been a bloodsucker. Damn those Cullens. They were the reason he was like this anyway. He really needed to calm down. He was shaking. He knew what would happen if he got himself all worked up.

He threw open the back door and started running towards the woods. As soon as he was in the cover of the trees, he left himself go. As soon as he did, he regretted it. Others were in their wolf form as well, they would know his thoughts.

_She knows?! _Paul thought. He was like Sam's personal lackey and very quick to the draw when provoked. He couldn't control himself very good even thought he had been one of the first after Sam to change.

Jake knew he was in for it now. Paul would go running to Sam to tell him that Bella knew. That was a direct violation of Sam's orders as alpha. What Alpha says, the pack must do.

_He will see that you didn't tell her when he looks into your thoughts._ This was from Avery. _You couldn't have told her anyway. There isn't a way around the orders._

_Or he could do like your nosy sister and not wait long enough to find out before tearing me a new one._

_He isn't as quick to judge as Paul, you know that._ This was from Quil. Jake's two best friends, Quil and Avery, had been wolves a bit longer than he had.

Jake wasn't giving him a chance to pry so quickly. He returned to his human form and ran back to his house. He slipped on his cut off and white t-shirt and hopped on his bike. He was going to go see Bella and let this brew for awhile. Maybe if he let the others stew for awhile Paul would be in the mood to fight someone who broke code. Maybe Jacob was looking for a good fight right now and it would work to his advantage.

***

Bella heard the roar of the motorcycle coming down the road. "Dad, just tell Jake to come on up when he gets here." She yelled down to Charlie. Charlie trusted them both a little more than he should to let them close themselves up in Bella's room.

Not that they had ever had sex with her dad home. That would have been weird. And not that he had anything to worry about this time. Bella was mad at Jake and there was no way he was getting lucky today.

"Okay, Bella, I will tell him on my way out." Charlie has his fishing rod in one hand and his keys in the other. "I'm going to meet Harry to get some fishing time in."

"Ok, Dad, have fun and be safe."

It was Sunday and that was the day Charlie usually went fishing. Especially now that he didn't worry about his catatonic daughter anymore.

He liked Jake and probably liked that she was with him now. He wouldn't like that Jake had taken his little girl's innocence…. Well, she'd been the one to initiate so technically she had taken his. She smiled. So she might be mad at him for keeping a secret and she might be upset that she was involved with yet another mythical creature. When did this life turn into such a fairy tale? She had her prince. He really would sweep her off her feet and onto the back of a white horse and whisk her away to happily ever after.

So, she had a smile on her face when he came in.

And just like that, Jake was calm. He wasn't mad at the world anymore. The smile reflected in her warm brown eyes. He reached over and brushed her hair back and presses a sweet soft kiss onto her lips.

She hadn't been prepared for the assault on her body by her hormones at the tender lip lock. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his trim waist.

He had come to give her a piece of his mind. He was going to tell her she was being a hypocrite on the subject of monsters. How was a werewolf any worse than the monster she had previously dated? He knew it would hurt her. He was glad it didn't happen that way. He never wanted to hurt her.

He sat on her bed and kept her on his lap.

She ran her hands under his t-shirt and pulled it up as she ran her hands over the planes over his sculpted chest. "Jake." She breathed out his name. She was completely consumed by the moment. He was so warm. She could feel him beneath his cutoff shorts. Her blood pumped in her veins.

Maybe it could be like this for them. Maybe it could be all consuming. She had always enjoyed being with him like this before, but there was something different about it now. Maybe it was about knowing the truth. Maybe she was falling for him more and more each day. Maybe it was that among all of it. She felt like she belonged to him somehow. There was something inside her that pulled her toward him.

He was on top of her now. Running kisses all over her neck, he was giving her chills.

***

She kept wriggling beneath him. She kept breathing his name and moaning as he kissed her all over her body. She was driving him crazy. "Bella," He whispered as he entered her.

This was love. Slow, tender he kept saying her name as he moved within her. He ran his fingers through her long silky hair. He was truly in love with her. He had known it before but he was feeling it swallowing him up now. His heart was racing; he was shaking, not with anger but with passion. It was more than even he could have imagined. In the years he had known her and known he was in love with her, he had never thought he could feel it like this.

It was overpowering him. It was taking over his being, and he was scared and excited. He wouldn't give this up for anything.

***

She watched him as he drove away. Sunday evening. She had no homework left to do. Charlie should be back anytime, but she didn't want to start dinner yet. She went in the kitchen to make sure the dishes were done.

Last night's dream was on her mind.

She thought about that. If _he_ came back now, after what she felt today, would she be able to leave Jake? Her heart thudded and puttered. It was like a tug of war just at the thought. There was something now that connected them. Something she could never just walk away from. It was a link that could never be broken.

She felt the hole closing more and more each day she spent with Jake. This was healthy. This was healing. But she still ached for _him_ sometimes late at night on those nights when Jake was not with her. She would dream of _him_. Why couldn't she let him go? He didn't want her. Jake wanted her. He loved her.

And she loved and wanted him.

***

"Jacob," Billy said as soon as he came through the door. "Sam has been trying to get in touch with you all day. "

"I figured as much."

"They spotted her again. She came in from the east and they chased her north."

"Shit." Jake muttered under his breath. He was really in for it now. He wasn't just running from the scorn he was getting for her knowing. He missed out when he was really needed.

He ran out of the house and stripped off his clothes on the porch then leaped into a run changing mid stride.

_It is about time, _Sam words rang clear in his mind.

_Sam, I didn't know. I'm sorry. _But his thoughts gave away where he had been and the feelings he had felt. It was times like this when he hated the wolf connection. He didn't want them to see. He didn't want them looking at her the way he did.

_We will talk about that later, Jacob. Right now we need you in the meeting spot._

_On my way._ Jake set off at his top run.

He reached the clearing that they always met at.

_Now that we are all here, _Sam started with a direct look at Jacob. _This red head is a pain. She had been running rampant through _our_ woods. She has been in contact with the male bloodsucker we have been tracking too. They might be after the same thing. And they must be after something because they have been here too long to be just passing through. We must get to them. _

_That male is running rampant, killing hikers left and right. We cannot stand by and let this happen anymore. _

There was a clamor of ideas being shouted around. _Alright, _Sam said to silence the noise. _We will come up with a plan. She is gone for now. We will go home for now. Paul, Jacob, stay. _

Sam turned back human and reached for his sweats. Paul followed suit, then Jake. They kept a stash of sweats here for times like this.

"Listen, Jacob. I don't understand how you feel so strong for this girl. You aren't imprinted, but I felt how you feel for her it is so very similar. I know you didn't tell her, and that she figured it out on her own. You are not in trouble. Paul acted on instinct to tell me that she knows. And before I saw how you feel for her, I thought it would be bad that she know about us. She might still have connections with the bloodsucker.

"But I can see she feels that way about you too. I feel like she will not cause us any trouble." Sam finished with a pat on Jacob's shoulder. "You have the closest thing to imprinting you can get with her."


	4. Chapter 3:Day Trippers

Chapter 3: Day Trippers

Monday was the worst day for Bella. She knew it meant it was the beginning of a 5 day stretch where she would only see Jake on nights he didn't have to run patrol. This wolf thing was like a job for him. She didn't know why they patrolled. The Cullens were gone.

She sat through her classes, barley paying attention. She skipped her biology class again. She did most of the time. Just too much haunted her in that particular room. She dropped her homework off in the mailbox for the Mr. Molina. He always graded it and left in the mailbox for her to pickup with a note on the next assignment. She only entered the doors when there was a test.

She headed for the parking lot. She never stuck around for the last class of the day which was gym. She never spoke to Jessica or Mike anymore. She only kept up with Angela and Ben. They understood more it seemed. Mike had been ticked off when he found out she was dating Jacob and he ran back to Jessica. They spent their days finding ways to make fun of her. Angela and Ben sat with her at lunch time and always seemed to know when to let her be.

She started the truck and went toward the house. She passed home and drove down toward the rez. By the time she got there Jake would be getting out of school. She would meet up with him and see about some afternoon delight. She grew giddy about the thought as she drove. She was so happy lately.

She got about half way there when she started felling nauseated. She pulled the water bottle out of her backpack and took a drink. It helped a little but just a few minutes later she was pulling over to the side and getting sick on the side of the road.

She wiped her mouth and swished some water to clean out the acidic taste in her mouth. She was not feeling like any kind of delight now. She turned the truck around and headed home.

Charlie's cruiser was not there. _Must still be at work,_ she thought. The ride home had been enough time for her stomach to calm down. It must have been the lunch she'd eaten today. As she walked in the phone rang.

"Hello?"

She listened to the voice from the other end. It was Charlie.

"We have a search party going out. This is getting serious, Bella. No more going in the woods."

"No worries on that, Dad."

"Me and Harry are going out. I will probably be back late so just leave the leftovers in the microwave after you eat."

Her stomach turned at the mention of food. "Will do. Be careful."

She hung up and looked at the clock. Jake would be home by now. She picked up the phone and dialed. Billy picked up and let her know he was on patrol until eight.

"Let him know I called. And just to let you know, they are out looking for the bears again today."

"I'll let the pack know."

Bella hung up and ran to the bathroom. She looked like a wreck her skin looked green in hue. She took her temperature with a thermometer. It was barely above normal. She looked in the medicine cabinet for something to settle her stomach. She felt like she was going to be sick again.

***

_Jacob, your dad just got word they are looking for the bears again. You and Quil need to be careful._

_Okay, thanks._

_Also, Bella called. _

_Thanks, Paul._

_Okay, Jake let's keep our border in tight, _Quil thought.

Jacob had the feeling they were going to be closing in on the male vampire sometime soon. He was not as fast or tricky as the red head bitch they have been chasing. That was probably why she didn't stick with him the whole time. And he seemed more distracted when humans were near.

_They won't get too close. Harry is with them,_ Jake thought back.

He checked the sky. It was a clear night. The stars were visible. Maybe you forgot how beautiful it could be when your mind was always on a war against undead leaches. His ears pricked up when he heard the howl.

_It's Sam, calling the others. Something is going on. _

_Jacob, go see Bella. She will need help with Charlie. Harry Clearwater had a heart attack._ Sam was letting him go for the night.

The rest of the pack would congregate with families and get things done on the rez, but they knew Chief Swan would be torn up too. And Jake was best for that job. He raced toward the house. It would be better if he took time to show up on his bike.

Jake raced dangerously around the curves on the two lane road to Forks.

He pulled up next to the house and parked the bike.

"Charlie?" He said coming in the door.

"I'm in the kitchen, Jacob." He was looking through the cabinets. There was water boiling on the stove. "I need to cook some dinner. Bella is in bed sick."

Jacob was torn. He wanted to go up and check on Bella, but he knew Charlie needed him more right now. "How are _you_ doing?"

"It's tough. Besides your dad, Harry was my best friend. He was my fishing buddy." He shrugged. "I don't know what I am going to do. I mean Leah and Seth are still so young. God, he was too young to go." He sat at the table and ran his hands over his face.

Jacob just sat there and let him be. He was more comforting to him by just being there than by giving him empty words that would never help him heal.

***

It was late when Charlie finally went to bed. He just sat in the kitchen staring off into space. He would say things sporadically. Jake had turned off the stove when the water boiled to nothing. Charlie had never meant to eat after what had happened.

He knocked lightly before going into the room.

She was snoring lightly. He nudged her lightly. "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"How are you felling?" He crawled in bed next to her. He rubbed her shoulders and kissed her neck lightly.

"I am feeling better." She smiled at him. "I took some medicine, and it made me sleepy."

"I'm glad you feel better." He didn't know if he should go ahead and tell her or let her rest for the night. "Listen, Bella, Harry Clearwater had a heart attack."

"Is he okay?"

"He didn't make it." Jake sighed. "Your dad is pretty upset. I stayed up with him until he went to bed since you weren't feeling well. He will be okay though."

She threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Jake."

She was soaking wet with sweat. She had to be breaking her fever. At least that meant that it was almost over. "I'm sorry you were feeling bad, my love." He kissed her head. "Go back to sleep."

"Stay with me?"

"Of Course I will." She snuggled into him. Soon she was back in her slumber. Jake settled in for the night.

***

Jake woke up on the couch after sneaking down to make sure Charlie didn't wake up to find him nestled in with his daughter like he owned the place. Charlie had left him a note thanking him for last night as he left for work. Jake went out back and changed to see if there was any news from the pack.

_Jacob, _Sam came through. _Your dad is staying with the Clearwaters. It seems that all of this has set it off in young Seth._

_ He's changing? _Why was this still happening? The giant coven of vampires was gone. There were just two that were giving them a problem.

_I was wondering the same thing myself. The only thing I can think of is there is something big that is coming and we just don't know about it. It is my fear that this is what is going to be._

_ Okay, I will be here today. Call on the landline if you need me. Bella is sick so I am going to stay with her here today._

_ Jacob. There is no news of the vamp female. She hasn't made any noise the past few days. It worries me._

_ I know, Sam, I know._

_I_***

Bella went downstairs to find Jake coming in from outside with his cutoffs on but his shirt in his hand. "I'm not going to school today." She said as if she had to defend herself for still being there at nine in the morning. She had just finished in the shower and was now feeling a hundred percent better. "Charlie left me a note saying he called them to let them know for me."

"That's why I am still hanging around. I figured we could spend the day together."

"Don't you have school on Tuesdays?"

"They won't have it today. There was a death in the Tribe. That is like a snow day for us." He had meant for it to be a joke but it just came out very morbid and he frowned.

"Let's take a hike." She grabbed her jacket and gave a coy smile to him. "Let's take a lunch and a blanket and spend the day getting lost in the woods."


	5. Chapter 4:Anger Management

Chapter 4: Anger Management

They lay on the blanket in the clearing. Jake was twisting a bit of Bella's hair around his finger. The sun filtered through the trees. It cast an aura around them. He leaned in to kiss her. "I am going to go out a little, I'll be right back." He told her. He had to go to pee like crazy and he'd been holding it so he could stay with her on that blanket.

Bella pulled her jacket on. Without him there, she seemed to get cold so easy. It was like he had taken the warmth of the day with him as he sauntered out into the woods. His cutoffs hung low on his hips. He really was the human specimen of Adonis.

He'd been gone for a few minutes when Bella heard a sound behind her. She whipped her had around in time to see Laurent. He was coming up behind her.

"You scared me." Bella was holding her heart as if it was going to burst out of her chest. Then she noticed that Laurent seemed eerily the same as he had the first time they had met. Dirty, he was supposed to be living with the coven in Alaska. They were more civilized like the Cullens. "What are you doing here?"

"I was coming to see Carlisle and the others. It seems as though I have missed them." He was walking in a circle around her.

_Where are you, Jacob?_ She thought with urgency. "They are going to be back in about a week." She said. Something told her she should lie to him.

_Lie better. _It was Edward. His face flashed in her mind. His eyes were sad.

"They were actually on their way to see the coven in Alaska. How are they, by the way?"

"I have not lived with them in a while. I grew tired of the animal blood. I craved the full flavors of you humans." He took a deep breath. "I had forgotten how aromatic you were. Edward was a fool glutton for torture to keep you around so long." He smiled. The teeth in his mouth flashing fear into her. "I am actually doing a favor for a friend of mine. You may remember her, Victoria. She had asked me to help stake you out. She will be so mad to find that I could not resist you."

The name Victoria was much scarier to her than the death that was just promised. Even though _he _didn't want anything to do with her anymore she was still prey to the vindictive she-vamp.

_Tell him I am coming back for you. That I will seek revenge on him._ Again Edward came to her. It was the first time this had happened since she had asked to be set free to be happy.

"Edward," it was like saying something across a lump in her throat. She almost choked on the name. "He is coming back for me. You will regret it."

"You smell of dog." He said as he got closer. His eyes narrowed. "No, you have a new toy. I saw you together. I waited for him to leave us." He smiled. He had seen them, bodies entangled. "Edward has left you for good."

Jake saw the leach as he reached the clearing. He started running. Changing midstride, he nudged Bella away with his muzzle then ripped into the unaware leach. He had been too focused on the pulse on Bella's neck to realize before it was too late. He tore into the rock flesh of the bastard and his nose stung with the putrid smell of vampire.

He changed back to human and started a fire. Carrying the head with him, he put it in the fire first.

Bella had been watching as Jake made the fire. The parts of Laurent were trying to put themselves back together while Jake carried the head around. As soon as it was consumed by the fire, the other limbs sputtered then fell lifeless. Jake told her to help burn all of the pieces.

A thick smoke billowed from the fire. Sickeningly sweet fumes surrounded them. "I wish we could leave it, but only we can prevent forest fires." Jake looked at her. She was shaken. He put his arm around her and guided her back to their blanket. He sat down with her. "The firelight is kind of romantic if you don't think about the fuel."

She laughed. She was going crazy because she actually laughed. She had never seen Jake change. Had never seen him in action. There was something so potent about it. He had _killed_ a _vampire_. That was near impossible, but she had seen her Jake do it. He had been so graceful as a wolf too.

"Jake, I have a very important question." She said with a smile on her face.

"Shoot." He said.

"If we ever have kids, do they come in litters?" The she threw her head back and laughed.

Jacob was astounded that she was taking it so well. She was so insane to be ok with what she had just witnessed. Jake was very lucky she hadn't ended up like Emily. He had kept his wits about him and gotten her out of the way. She was still whole and scar free. He hugged her close.

"Let's get you home." It was close to time the Charlie would be getting home.

***

Jake had left her to go running to the pack to give them the news about Laurent. She started dinner for her and Charlie. She was glad that today had been so pretty. The clouds were moving in for the night but she had spent a beautiful day outside with Jake. It was not even ruined by the murder of Laurent. He had saved her.

She and Charlie ate dinner in near silence. He had asked her how she was, and then she had asked him. He was hurting but he was doing better today than yesterday. Bella excused herself to bed early because near death can wear a girl out.

She dreamed that night of Jake tearing into Edward much as he had done to Laurent. She woke up in a hyperventilating cry. Why couldn't she let him go? She still only loved Jake with half of her heart. The other was wherever Edward was. Saying the name today had reawakened that side of her heart. And it ached with misuse.

It refused to recognize the love in the other half as real. It refused to beat on the same tempo as her Jake half. She let the tears flow. She had steadied her breathes, but she still let the tears flow.

Would she ever be whole again?

***

Wednesday morning came fast. She had tossed and turned all night. She wished that Jake had had the night off to come and stay with her. She made her way to the shower hoping the spray of it would help her wake up. She stood under the stream of hot water and let it beat the bad dreams away.

She wasn't sure why she had been battered with dream after dream but every time she closed her eyes a battle ensued. Between Jacob and Edward, was one dream. There had been a dream of two Bella's one happy and glowing fighting the perpetually sad Bella that still belonged to Edward. That dream had ended in an explosion. Neither Bella won.

She sighed as she wrapped her hair in a towel and set off back to her room. It was Wednesday and she still had two more days to go. This week was Hell.

***

Jake was not paying attention to the morning meeting that they were having. His mind was on Bella. He seemed to be doing this a lot lately barely hearing some very important things that were said.

"Jacob Black, pay attention." Sam Uley said. He was tired of his best brother's lack of attention since he'd been with the vampire girl. He smiled when Jacob's face focused under the command of the alpha tone that had vibrated in the order.

"Sorry, Sam." Jacob replied. He would have to pay attention now. He supposed he needed to. There was that vile red-headed vampire running rampant around Forks and on the rez. _Oh, the day in the life of a werewolf, _he thought.

"We need to figure out what this she-devil is after." Sam stated now that he had all of the pack's attention. "The way she is bobbing and weaving, she is after something. She is not killing like that male had been doing."

The tribe had been very proud that Jacob had defeated that one without any trouble. Sam knew there was something great about the young wolf. He was more the true alpha, Sam knew that was the truth, but he was so worried about his relationship with that girl that he was in no way ready for the responsibility.

There was an uproar of ideas being shouted by the brothers. Jacob remained silent. Something had triggered a memory. Something faintly around the edge of a time before his new life as a wolf and as Bella's boyfriend glinted in need of attention.

"I think I know." He said. No one seemed to pay attention to him except Sam. The others were still shouting their ideas about.

"Jake?" Sam said.

"She is after Bella." He remembered when Bella came home from the hospital with that ridiculous story of her falling and going through the window. The vampire that Edward had killed had a girlfriend who was hell bent on revenge. He had heard Bella talking to the leach about it.

He explained the story to the pack. "That Cullen bastard knew she would be back. And he just left her here." He was shaking. Anger was an understatement at this point.

Sam motioned for everyone to back up from Jacob. There was no coming back from anger as deep as that. All around them, there were shreds of clothing coming down like confetti. Jacob ran into the woods. H just needed to run. If he came across the redheaded leach he would tear her apart.

Sam told everyone to leave him be. "He needs time." Same sighed. "He just found out how much trouble his love is in." Sam thought about Emily. If it was her life in danger, what would he do?

He changed. _Jacob, just be careful. I will tell the pack not to change for an hour. Cool down. But after that we resume our posts._ Then he changed back.

"No one is to change for an hour, let's give him some peace of mind."

***

Bella was finishing up all of her homework and looking out the window. The sun was low in the sky. Jake hadn't called and he was supposed to be coming over tonight, but she had a bad feeling. She had all day almost. She shut down the computer and put her English paper in her bag.

"Where are you, Jake." She whispered out loud. She couldn't help but think something bad had happened. She grabbed her keys and the little purse she had started carrying. "Dad, I am going down to LaPush. I should be home before too long."

"Going to see Jacob?"

"Yeah, I haven't heard from him, and I just wanted to see him."

"Just be home by 11."

"Ok."

She threw her bag on the seat next to her. She put the truck in gear and backed out of the driveway. She put kicked it into high gear. It was strange for her to drive this fast. The truck complained.

When she got there, she drove around trying to find someone in the pack. Where they all out there? She went to Billy when she didn't have any luck with that.

"Hey, Billy, have you heard from Jacob today?" She asked. The concern was plastered all over her face.

"Not since the pack meeting. But that was just about three hours ago. They are probably running the borders." He looked at her with the wisdom of a sage. "He is ok, Bella. If something had happened Sam would send someone with news."

Just then Quil stepped in. "Hey, Billy. Hey, Bella. Nothing is wrong with Jake. He just got really mad, changed, and ran. He's ok. We still have his thoughts to go by. But he's not talking to us. We can just see the trees as he moves past them in silence. Then we saw a house. I think it might be near. I just saw a whole side was made of glass. Do you know it?"

"It's the Cullen house." Bella breathed.

"Well, it may not have those windows when he gets done with it." Quil replied in a nonchalant voice. "Not saying they don't deserve it, but" he looked at Billy. "It would be breaking the treaty just for him to be there. Let's not let him destroy the place."

He walked outside. "I am going to change. Bella, you are the only one that might be able to calm him down. You get on my back and we will get there." He took off his clothes and put them, folded on the chair on the porch. Bella averted her gaze. It was a little awkward. "Makes it easier." He was a wolf before she could blink.

She got on his back. She worried about being too heavy for him. But he sprinted on like there was nothing on him. He was about the size of a bear, not a wolf. That is why they had been hunting bears and not wolves when they went into the woods.

They were flying through the woods. It was getting very dark and it had started drizzling. She couldn't feel the cold on top of Quil. He radiated heat like Jake did. "That must be a wolf thing, the heat I mean." His head nodded a fraction. For the rest of the ride she just hung on and hoped it would be over soon.

It didn't take near as long as she thought it would. They were at the house. Jack was stalking back and forth. The weeds were overgrown. The windows were dirty. It was truly abandoned looking. The furniture was there. There were still paintings on the walls but you could tell no one lived there.

"Jake?" his head whipped around to her. His eyes were angry but not at her. He was surprised to see her there. "Jake, come on. Let's go home." She walked toward him. She wasn't afraid; she took her steps carefully and slowly so she wouldn't stumble. She reached him, stroked her hand down his side. She felt him quiver beneath her hand.

She put her other hand on his muzzle and moved his head so she could look into his eyes. "Come on, you have to tell me what is going on. Calmly." She added.

He snorted and pushed her back with his nose. Then he walked back a bit. He nodded to Quil. "He is going to change back, for you." Quil said to Bella. Quil then ran off into the woods, howling a good bye when he changed.

"Bella," Jake grabbed her and hugged her close to him. "That bastard left you here. He knew she would come here for you and he left. Coward." He spat on the last word.

"What are you talking about?" But she knew. "She's here?" She ran her hands through her hair. "Has she hurt you?"

"You're worried about me?" He scoffed. "Bella, didn't you see what I did to that leach in the woods? Why are you worried about me?"

"She's not like him. She's different. Jake have you fought her? Are you okay?"

He shook his head, laughing. "We haven't cornered her yet. But I swear to you, I will personally rip her throat out. She will not get to you." He grabbed her up and kissed her. "I will protect you from this." He took her mouth again.

It was dark and raining. Bella's hair was sticking to her checks. "Jake, we are getting soaked. Take me to my truck, and then meet me at my place."

Jack laughed as he changed. His laughter became a growl as she climbed onto his back. He took off. It was no time when he came up into his yard and skidded to a halt next to her truck. He shifted back to man on the porch and put on the sweats Quil had left behind. "Let me ride home with you. I will keep you warm."

He sat up against her. His arm around her as she puttered home.


End file.
